As Minister for Equalities in Wales, Jane Hutt has been involved with the Chwarae Teg (Fair Play) initiative since its inception in 1992, and she also gave the address at the Chwarae Teg 20th Anniversary Celebrations in March 2012. Chwarae Teg is the leading professional agency for the economic development of women in Wales.

At the Cardiff Women in Property (WIP) seminar, Jane Hutt addressed the attendees by saying "Women continue to be under-represented in the construction and property sector in Wales – one of the key sectors in our economy. So the work that Women in Property is doing to enhance the role of women, provide support and encourage talent in the industry is invaluable."

"Women continue to be under-represented in the construction and property sector in Wales – one of the key sectors in our economy."

Jane Hutt - Finance Minister for the Welsh Government

The property and construction industry has been severely challenged in recent years, so those of us working across its many disciplines were particularly interested to hear the Welsh Government’s investment plans. The coming together of potential private sector and public sector infrastructure investment, to streamline scheme delivery and maximise opportunities, has got to be good news for the industry and the wider community.

As branch chairman of WIP South Wales (the seminar’s organisers), our national organisation seeks to enhance the profile of women in this sector, both by providing a dynamic forum for women in these professions and by encouraging and nurturing aspiring talent.

The Association represent all disciplines within the property and construction industry, providing a forum for business opportunities, the exchanging of views, networking and personal development. Over 300 events are organised across the UK each year.

Faithful+Gould’s own proportion of women employees in technical roles reflects the national property and construction industry average of 15 per cent. To address this, we have joined our parent company Atkins in a diversity initiative which includes a focus on gender.

Our gender balance improvement plan, aims to give women the confidence to access the opportunities their male colleagues enjoy. The plan encourages women employees to progress and achieve their potential in a culture which embraces equality and provides the flexibility required. The plan covers attraction, recruitment, development, retention and career progression.